


Dancing With Our Hands Tied

by FeelSoHelpless



Category: Riverdale (TV 2017)
Genre: Angst, F/M, different from 2x06, first time jughead sees betty after she breaks up with him, i really love angst and i love bughead so...., morning after 2x05, post 2x05
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 06:50:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 853
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12789141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FeelSoHelpless/pseuds/FeelSoHelpless
Summary: Jughead knew that it would be a bad idea to go to Pops. One, it was somewhere that Betty frequently visited and the last thing he wanted to do was think about her. Two, his whole body felt like shit from doing the gauntlet yesterday.





	Dancing With Our Hands Tied

**Author's Note:**

> Let me know what you think

Jughead knew that it would be a bad idea to go to Pops. One, it was somewhere that Betty frequently visited and the last thing he wanted to do was think about her. Two, his whole body felt like shit from doing the gauntlet yesterday.

The bruises on his face were a painting of purples and yellows. The rest of his body felt like he was hit by a bus.

Jughead stepped into Pops', his serpents jacket burning a hole in his back. He could feel eyes staring at him in horror. Jughead quickly sat himself in a booth and tried to not let out a sigh of relief, because people started focusing on their food again and there was some relief from being able to sit down.

The bruises on his face were a painting of purples and yellows. The rest of his body felt like he was hit by a bus.

Jughead stepped into Pops', his serpents jacket burning a hole in his back. He could feel eyes staring at him in horror. Jughead quickly sat himself in a booth and tried to not let out a sigh of relief, because people started focusing on their food again and there was some relief from being able to sit down.

Pop walked over and handed him a cup of coffee, completely ignoring the fact that Jughead was wearing a serpent's jacket and looked like a punching bag.

“The usual?” Pop asked with a smile.

Jughead nodded gratefully.

He kept his gaze on the table in front of him. If he looked around he would think of all the memories he had with Betty here. The way she kissed him, their words of running away together, and both of them sitting in a booth for hours avoiding the harsh reality of Riverdale. He needed to forget it all, it wouldn’t do much good to hold onto something that had already slipped away.

The bell above the door rang and Jughead glanced over. Archie and Betty walked in. Two of the last people he wanted to see.

Betty looked beautiful. She always looked beautiful. Her eyes were red and puffy, an obvious sign that he had been crying. A selfish part of himself hoped that she had been crying over him.

Jughead averted his eyes and stared at his hands sitting on the table. Seeing them together was like he was drowning in all of his insecurities. 

The sound of Pop setting his plate on the table startled Jughead out of his reveries.

“Thanks.” Jughead murmured as he tried to focus on his food and not the woman sitting at the counter.

His mind kept replaying how Betty’s eyes lit up like a firework when she saw him yesterday. It didn’t make sense that one day she loved him and the next day she took a match to their relationship. Jughead knew he shouldn’t dwell over it, they were over. There was nothing left.

Through his haze of thoughts, Pop’s voice broke through while he was talking to Betty and Archie.

“Your boy’s in that booth over there.” 

Jughead’s heart thudded painfully. He could feel their eyes on him, probably noticing the new leather jacket as well as the myriad of bruises that adorned his face. 

He finished the last bite of his burger and put a few dollars on the table. Jughead felt entirely desperate to leave, to get as far away as he can and lick his wounds in private.

Jughead rushed out of the diner, the bell clanging after him. He gingerly slung his bag over his shoulder, wincing at the extra weight. He walked as quickly as he could towards his motorcycle. Not daring to look over his shoulder in fear of seeing Betty or Archie.

“Jughead!” Archie’s voice rang out in the early morning air.

Jughead froze, with one hand on the handle of his motorcycle. He debated whether to listen to whatever the hell they were going to say or to ride away as if demons were at his heels. He was leaning towards running when a hand landed on his shoulder, shaking him out of his musings. Jughead turned around sharply to see Archie retracting his hand with an unreadable look on his face. While Betty stood behind Archie, staring intently at the ground.

“What?” His voice was sharp as glass.

Betty met his eyes for a moment and all Jughead could see was pain. Why was she hurting after breaking up with him? It was her choice, she just didn’t want him anymore. Right?

Archie stammered for a moment trying to form some sort of answer. Jughead stared at Archie as if he could easily break him.

“H-How are you?” Archie finally settled on.

Jughead glanced over at Betty, still silent and avoiding his eyes. “I’m fine.” 

Lightly shaking his head he got on the motorcycle and started the engine.. He didn’t want to make some attempt at awkward small talk.

“Jug.” Jughead’s head snapped up at Betty’s voice. She slightly stepped in front of Archie and seemed to be hesitating about something. “See you later.”


End file.
